PIGEON POST Keeping you informed & involved March 2021 PG. 2 Nutrition Bites - INSIDE Rainbow Sandwiches PG. 3 THIS ISSUE Big Knit is back! Welcome to the March issue of PG. 4 Pigeon Post. Over to you - Your lives & stories To celebrate International PG. 5 World Book Day this month, Over to you - more life stories the Age UK Barnet team all had photos taken holding our PG. 6 favourite book. I love Hilary Recipe time! Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy and am halfway through the third -The Mirror and The Light. Do let us know PG. 7 what your favourites are. Wellbeing - Professor Loveday As well as the usual recipes, puzzles and crafts, PG. 8 we’ve got plenty for you to read this month. Quiz time “Get ready to give those Turn to page 5 for the incredible story of one of our brain cells a workout” readers who spent 16 days in a coma and on a PG. 9 ventilator after catching Covid-19. Nostalgia page - Childhood comics If Desperate Dan, The Four Mary's and Lord Snooty ring any bells, you’re going to love our nostalgic PG. 10 look back at our favourite comics on page 9. Time to get crafty We hope to open up our social walks again at the PG. 11 end of the month – which is great news for our Hand exercises brains, according to our trustee Professor Catherine Loveday. She tells us how walking improves our PG. 12 reasoning and memory and even increases our How can we help? brain matter! “Where flowers PG. 13 Have a good month! Handyperson Q&A bloom, Focus on Loneliness Helen Newman Chief Executive So does hope” PG. 14 Age UK Barnet Quiz answers Age UK Barnet, Ann Owens Centre, Oak Lane, East Finchley N2 8LT. Tel: 0208 203 5040 / 07502 989 403 1 NUTRITION BITES RAINBOW SANDWICHES FOR A HEALTHY GUT Did you know that our overall health and our immune response to infection depends on the diversity of bacteria in our gut? The more types of good bacteria we host, the better for our overall health. And the more different plants we eat, the more diverse our good gut bacteria. Whole grain sandwiches are a great way to increase the number of plant foods we eat every day and our cookery volunteer Kato shows us that they can carry a lot more than ham and cheese… 1. Basil delight: Spread basil pesto on two slices of sourdough bread or a whole grain bread roll. Fill with slices of tomato, feta cheese and fresh torn basil leaves. 2. Green sandwich: Mix a handful of rocket and basil with juice from half a lemon and 1 tbsp of olive oil. On any wholegrain bread, spread a layer of your favourite creamy cheese (blue cheese, goats cheese), cucumber and avocado slices, and top with the herb dressing. 3. Mexican sandwich: Fill a whole-wheat wrap, or corn tortilla, with a few thin slices of avocado, a spoonful of black beans, some sliced red onion and chopped tomato, and top with a spoonful of salsa. Melt a spoonful of grated strong cheddar cheese on top and roll up. 4. Toast with oily fish: Take two slices of toasted wholegrain bread, top with either mackerel or sardines in olive oil or tomato sauce. Top with sliced tomato and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or chili flakes. 5. Rye sandwich: Spread two slices of dark rye bread with cream cheese. Top with smoked salmon, thin cucumber slices, and fresh or dry dill to taste. 6. Full veggie wrap: Combine ½ a cup of finely sliced radishes, ½ a cup of apple cider (or any white) vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Leave in the fridge overnight. This relish can keep in the fridge for up to a week. Cover a sliced red and yellow pepper with 1 tsp of olive oil and grill on a high heat for 10 minutes (or roast for 20 minutes at 200⁰C). This mixture can keep in the fridge for 3 days. Fill a large whole-wheat wrap with slices of red onion, spinach leaves, avocado, and a teaspoon each of grated courgette, radish pickle, and roasted pepper mix. 7. Pita bread with hummus: Lightly toast a whole-wheat pita bread. Fill each half with a tsp of hummus, spinach or rocket leaves, finely sliced radish and cucumber, and if there is still space, half of a falafel. 8. Breakfast muffin: Sauté 3 tablespoons of chopped red onion for 5 minutes. Add half a sliced red pepper, season with dry oregano. Finally add a cup of spinach to wilt. Add two beaten eggs to the pan and allow the frittata to cook on a low heat until set. Sprinkle some feta cheese on top and finish off under the broiler for 2 minutes (keep the over door open with the pan handle outside). Toast a whole wheat pita, or two halves of a wholegrain bun, and fill with frittata slices. 2 THE BIG KNIT Grab your needles and your brightest yarn! Love knitting? Then please think about knitting little hats for us—a easy way to raise money to help us run our services and activities in the borough. Drinks company Innocent kindly give us 25p for every knitted hat sold on their smoothie bottles. Once you have knitted your hats we can arrange to have them collected from you. Just call us on 0208 432 1418 for more information. Simple bobble hat Stripe hat Yarn: Yellow and white Yarn: Blue and white DK Needles: 4mm Needles: 4mm Hat Cast on 31 sts in yellow Cast on 31 sts in blue Knit two rows Knit two rows (garter st) Change to Beginning with a knit row work white and beginning with a knit row 12 rows in st st Next row: k2tog continue in st st as follows 2 rows white, 2 rows blue, 2 to last st, k1 (16sts) rows white, 2 rows blue, 2 rows white, 2 rows blue. Next row: purl Continue in blue Next row: k2tog to end (8sts) Cut the yarn Next row: k2tog to last st, k1 (16sts) leaving approx 10cm length. Next row: purl Thread this through a sewing needle and Next row: k2tog to end (8sts) Cut the yarn leaving bring through stitches and pull up to tighten. approx 10cm length. Thread this through a sewing Making up Use a sewing needle to join side needle and bring through stitches and pull up to seams. Make a pompom in white and sew tighten. Making up Use a sewing needle to join side securely to top of the hat. seams. Make a pompom in blue and white and sew securely to top of the hat ‘I can’t wait until we can all meet up again’ Jenny from Edgware misses Age UK Barnet’s weekly computer support sessions at her local library, helping people get to grips with their laptops and tablets. As well as picking up some technical skills, she loved how the group got to know and supported each other and shared their life stories. Here she tells us about what the group meant to her. ‘We’d learn about technology and enjoyed refreshments and a friendly chat with a group of people from different backgrounds, national ties and religions. All had interesting stories to tell about their lives or where they worked in their younger days. Two such gentlemen, both in their 90s, regaled us with stories – one of them had been a make-up artist to Hollywood stars, the other used to play the clarinet at Ronnie Scotts and still does lots of functions. One day he brought his clarinet to our group and gave us a rendition of ‘Stranger on the Shore’ and ‘Danny Boy’, especially for a lovely Irish lady. We were all quite emotional afterwards. ‘Within the group too was a wealth of knowledge and experience shared amongst us, and just by asking for advice or help we were able to get answers to most questions. Many firm and long-lasting friendships we formed to this day, extending beyond the group.’ *Jenny is looking forward to the return of Age UK Barnet’s groups and IT sessions which will return over the coming months as libraries and community centres begin to open up. 3 OVER TO YOU! YOUR LIVES, YOUR STORIES! Maybe you’ve got a cleaning tip, recipe idea, a useful piece of advice or a funny story? Whatever you want to get off your chest, put it to paper and send it to us at Age UK Barnet Letters Page, Ann Owens Centre, Oak Lane, East Finchley N2 8LT. Or call Teresa on 07502 989 403. We will try to address any issues raised in future editions and will print a selection of the letters we receive. Pigeon Post I didn’t know of your existence until Hello everyone, my neighbour gave me the February This is to say ‘Thank You’ to you everyone copy and I am now hooked! involved in Pigeon Post. Would you kindly add my name and address to your mailing list. I enjoy reading the stories, interests and the little snips of news. It give a feeling that I’m not on my own! Many thanks Rosalind Thank you so much. Lorraine PET PAL OF THE MONTH Each month, we celebrate one of your pets. Just let us know what your pet means to you by phoning Teresa on 07502 989 403 or writ- ing to Pet Pal of the month, Age UK Barnet, Ann Owens Centre, Oak Lane N2 1LT..